- This topic has 60 replies, 32 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 10 months ago by
.
- Posts
Report in today’s Racing Post says that Channel 4 are apparently on the brink of the being the sole broadcaster of racing on tv from next year at the expense of the BBC.
I’m not the greatest fan of the BBC, but find it hard to believe they would allow the Grand National, Derby and Royal Ascot to be sacrificed from their coverage.
If true though Clare Balding might join the C4 team as she’s a freelance journalist not tied to the BBC.
Clare Balding would bring a much needed air of professionalism to C4 and GNat day hopefully would not have an ex tennis or snooker player to listen to!
I hope its true and a long time in coming. The only problem is, Ch4 these days, want the racing they cover crammed into a 2hour slot. What will they do for the Royal Ascot meeting (BBC covering all races)???… Will the countdown fans be ranting they have no vowels and consonants for a week?? or no Rachael Riley for that matter!!
If it is true it would appear that the BBC considers it a liability and too marginal to justify the expenditure. Perhaps the contract should be offered to Dignitas.
Ominous aspect of report imo centred on the fact that RMG are taking a much stronger commercial attitude toward their assets.
They are behind Racing Plus; expect to see a full assault on Racing Post within the next year.
Agreed JJM, they so got their knickers in a twist with last year’s National with the apparent whip abuse and unfortunate fatalities. What the hell is our license fee being spent on nowadays?
I haven’t see the Racing Post report but it would be a great pity if the BBC did not show Royal Ascot, the Grand National and the Derby.
It somehow wouldn’t feel right if the BBC didn’t broadcast Royal Ascot. Not least because of the ad breaks and blatant sponsorship plugs. I also hate those 30-second bookmaking slots actually IN the programme. Totally intrusive and unnecessary.
But, having said that, John Parrott and Gary Wiltshire are a joke, with absolutely no gravitas or depth. I dread to think what awful outfits and hats Tanya Stevenson would wear if she were let loose in the Royal Ascot "bedding" ring. Would McCririck still be around anyway to offer some authority?
At least if the BBC were not involved, we would not have to endure Willie Carson doing his syntax-strangling Paul Daniels impressions.
There’s not a chance of Clare Balding joining Channel 4 racing. She’s far too professional for that and has too many BBC commitments, whether freelance or not, even to consider the idea.
It would certainly put the cat among the pigeons and stir up the cosy Al and Al act of Alastair Down and Alice Plonker over jumps, not to mention Catt and the Pouting Heiress for the Flat. I’m sure they would all join forces to see off Clare.
ITV and Channel 4 always used to have the Derby but the BBC coverage is far more authoritative.
A move to Channel 4 for these meetings would certainly be bad news for Jim McGrath. Not only is he almost certainly facing the boot as a racecourse commentator but he would lose his BBC dates as well.
He’d be left out deeper on the track and definitely further back in the field.
I can’t see the BBC giving up on racing altogether. Surely it has some duty as a public service broadcaster to show what are regarded as the crown jewels of racing.
There was outrage when Channel 4 won the rights to Cheltenham from the BBC and I suppose most people would agree they do a good job.The BBC has been very complacent, if not arrogant, in its relationship with racing and I for one will be quite happy to see C4 as the sole terrestrial partner.
Clare Balding would bring a much needed air of professionalism to C4 and GNat day hopefully would not have an ex tennis or snooker player to listen to!
This cannot be stated enough. She’s a superb broadcaster.
Disappointed with this because i think the BBC coverage is better, even though Channel 4 has Fat Al, Holt, McGrath and Nick Luck.
Ads interrupt the coverage and those ridiculous bulletin ads now before a break…and that Ladbrokes ad – STOP IT NOW !!!!Channel 4 is betting, betting, betting, horse racing, betting, betting. Why do we need to be told the negatives and positives 2 seconds before the off ? There’s never any post race analysis either to see if this was informative.
Clare Balding, Nick Luck, Willie Carson, John Francome, Mike Cattermole, Emma Spencer, Jim McGrath, Alastair Down, Alice Plunkett, Tom Lee for the betting.
That would be my combined team.
Tom Lee – are you kidding????
Tom Lee is very shallow when he is talking about the "creatures" at the top or bottom of the betting (a word he has blatantly borrowed from McCririck).
At least MarkTT has omitted Tanya Stevenson from his list (not to mention Rishi Persad).
Clare Balding is by far the most authoritive figure in TV racing but because she is such a professional and so articulate, she wouldn’t interact well with Tom Lee or Tarns, not to mention Tommo.
Mike Cattermole and Clare fell out when the BBC tried to poach him. Imagine Clare and glamourpuss Emma Spencer appearing on the same programme. It wouldn’t work. At least Willie Carson, by being such a gibbering buffoon, manages to make Clare look even more the consummate professional.it wouldnt be a suprise if the limp wristed liberals at the bbc have had enough of the grand national but i just cannt see them not wanting to show royal ascot.
as the racing post is just a mouthpiece for the bha etc maybe this is just a scare story to get the bbc to pay more?Clare Balding would bring a much needed air of professionalism to C4 and GNat day hopefully would not have an ex tennis or snooker player to listen to!
This cannot be stated enough. She’s a superb broadcaster.
Disappointed with this because i think the BBC coverage is better, even though Channel 4 has Fat Al, Holt, McGrath and Nick Luck.
Ads interrupt the coverage and those ridiculous bulletin ads now before a break…and that Ladbrokes ad – STOP IT NOW !!!!Channel 4 is betting, betting, betting, horse racing, betting, betting. Why do we need to be told the negatives and positives 2 seconds before the off ? There’s never any post race analysis either to see if this was informative.
I completely agree with you.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.